It is about framing the past, capturing moments in time and composing
them into a narrative. Composition takes a long time. First comes
ﬁ eldwork which exposes traces of the past. More detail is provided
through cataloguing, classiﬁ cation and analysis. The different elements
are brought together and developed into a vivid picture of life in the
past. A picture may be full of people, buildings, streets and objects.
It is the sum of individual ﬂeeting actions and long-established
structures.

There is a symmetry between archaeology and photography.

Diggers is where the two meet.

The exhibition is the result of a year-long artistic residency by Bill
Bevan in the Department of Archaeology, University of Shefﬁ eld. Bill
has spent the academic year between October 2010 and September
2011 photographing archaeologists from the department at work
in the ﬁ eld, in labs, in lecture theatres, on the streets of Shefﬁ eld.
He has captured the ﬂ eeting moments of time of archaeological
research. His photography illuminates the archaeological process from
ﬁ eldwork to dissemination of knowledge and the relationship between
archaeologists, the materials they study and their tools.

The residency and exhibition is funded by The Leverhulme Trust as part of their
Artist in Residence grant scheme.

Bill Bevan and the Department of Archaeology are grateful for the co-operation
and enthusiasm of staff and students at the department during the residency.